Canis Hoopus - WNBA Finals: Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream82-0https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48315/canis_hoopus_favicon.png2013-10-06T22:54:43-05:00http://www.canishoopus.com/rss/stream/45743112013-10-06T22:54:43-05:002013-10-06T22:54:43-05:00Lynx Defeat Deam for 1-0 Series Lead
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<figcaption>Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Lynx make quick work of the dream in the Finals opener.</p> <p> </p>
<p>It was an easy start to the Finals for the Lynx, as they beat the Atlanta Dream 84-59 tonight at the Target Center. Maya Moore led the way for Minnesota with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists on the night. Moore, Monica Wright (20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), and Seimone Augustus (19 points) made up 62 of the team's 84 points and were the only three Lynx players to hit double figures.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most notable stat of the night: 0-15 shooting from beyond the arc for the Atlanta Dream, who struggled shooting the ball the entire night. Leading scorer Angel McCoughtry (6-24) and Jasmine Thomas (3-15) took the most shots for Atlanta, who collectively shot 31.2 percent on the night on 77 field goal attempts.</p>
<p>"We've been through this before. First game against Washington, it was the same thing, we bounced back," Angel McCoughtry said following the game. "We'll figure it out. That's the type of team we are. It's going to be a dogfight."</p>
<p>The Lynx came out swinging immediately, led by half of the Lynx All Star quartet in Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus. The Lynx took advantage of some well-drawn up plays by coach Cheryl Reeve, most notably a pair of nice backdoor cuts for Augustus, giving her two wide open layups.</p>
<p>After the first quarter, the Lynx had a comfortable advantage, leading by 8, but that was nothing compared to the onslaught put on by Minnesota in the second. The Lynx put the game away in the second quarter, going up 44-25, and winning the quarter 20-9, which included a 15-0 run. Early fouls to Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry and an injury to Tiffany Hayes noticeably hurt the Dream's scoring punch.</p>
<p>"It happened so fast, I didn't realize it, as far as [the 15-0 run]," Lynx head coach Cherryl Reeve said following the game. "We were just still in the moment and trying to win every possession."</p>
<p>Minnesota was able to keep pace in the second half, keeping the Dream at bay throughout the half and giving them an easy win.</p>
<p>"It's just a matter of mental maturity, and knowing how to take the moment how it comes. We don't want to ever relax," Maya Moore said, describing her mindset coming into the second half. "The work that we do in the first half, we want to make sure that it means something."</p>
<p>Monica Wright received a lot of praise, providing a big spark in both halves and filling in the x-factor role that is generally necessary in playoff games.</p>
<p>"She understands that these types of series are about X-Factors, and she used herself in that way," coach Reeve said. "You know that the starters are going to go head-to-head and beat each other up."</p>
<p>With Minnesota's 1-0 lead on the Dream, they will stay in Minneapolis for Tuesday's game 2. It will be played at 7pm CT at the Target Center, and will be featured on ESPN2.</p>
https://www.canishoopus.com/2013/10/6/4810510/lynx-dream-game-1-recapTim Faklis2013-10-06T18:22:34-05:002013-10-06T18:22:34-05:00Dream at Lynx: Finals Game Thread
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<p>Another Finals in Minnesota begins tonight at 7:30pm Central.</p>
<p>The Lynx host the Atlanta Dream in the opener of the best of five series for the WNBA championship. The Lynx are looking to re-capture the title they won in 2011 but lost last year. This is their third straight Finals trip.</p>
<p>The Dream, who lost to the Lynx in that 2011 Finals are appearing for the third time in four years, and are trying to avoid being a three time loser.</p>
<p>The game is on ESPN. The Lynx are awesome. You should watch.</p>
<p>This is your game thread. Follow the action and talk about it here.</p>
<p>NOTES:</p>
<p>Janel McCarville hurt her back in practice and is a game time decision. She is on the floor warming up right now. No McCarville or a limited McCarville would be a blow for the Lynx.</p>
<p>Maya Moore:</p>
<p><span><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Bringing the fire for the Finals in my Aero Mania&#39;s!! <a href="http://t.co/RY1FI0fzOW">pic.twitter.com/RY1FI0fzOW</a></p>&mdash; Maya Moore (@MooreMaya) <a href="https://twitter.com/MooreMaya/statuses/386987849415159808">October 6, 2013</a></blockquote></span></p>
<p><span><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></span></p>
https://www.canishoopus.com/2013/10/6/4810282/wnba-finals-game-one-game-threadEric in Madison2013-10-06T09:32:21-05:002013-10-06T09:32:21-05:00WNBA Finals: Dream vs. Lynx
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<figcaption>Augustus vs. McCoughtry in the 2011 NBA Finals | Hannah Foslien</figcaption>
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<p>The Lynx return to the Finals for the third straight year and face the team they defeated for the title in 2011. The Dream had an up and down season but have gotten hot in the playoffs. </p> <p>On paper, this looks like a mismatch.</p>
<p>The Lynx finished the season with the WNBA's best record (26-8), while the Dream scraped to .500 (17-17), including a four game losing streak to end the year.</p>
<p>The Lynx outscored their opponents by 9.4 ppg, the Dream by 1.5 ppg.</p>
<p>The Lynx, who have home court advantage in the best of five Finals, were 15-2 at home, while the Dream were 4-13 on the road.</p>
<p>The WNBA Finals open on Sunday night at 7:30 Central at Target Center (and on ESPN). The Minnesota Lynx will try to apply their apparent advantages to win a second championship in three years, while the Dream, who return to the Finals for the third time in four seasons, want to avoid being only the second three time Finals loser in league history.</p>
<p>We know what the Lynx bring to the table: four All-Stars, insanely efficient offense led by Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus, and at times stifling defense. Their defense in the playoffs has been especially impressive, with no opponent managing more than the 65 points Phoenix scored in the close-out game of the Western Conference Finals. Through four games, the Lynx are holding opponents under 40% from the field.</p>
<p>Sidebar: Watch this woman shoot jump shots. Glorious:</p>
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<p>The Dream are also here in large part on the back of their defense. After a playoff opening loss to the Washington Mystics, the Dream have won four in a row, allowing more than their season average in points in only one of those games, and stifling the Indiana Fever by a score of 67-53 in the Eastern Conference Finals clincher, a game in which the Dream held the Fever to 28% shooting.</p>
<p>Inside, the Dream are led by the imposing post presence of Brazilian veteran Erika de Sousa, who leads the team in rebounding and blocked shots, while also contributing 13 ppg on the offensive side. She is a force in the paint and one of the vital matchups for the Lynx will be their bigs against de Sousa.</p>
<p>The offensive star for the Dream is of course Angel McCoughtry. One of the best scorers in the league, she hung 27 on the Fever in the clincher and can score against anyone. She does it by getting into the paint and finishing, as well as by getting to the free throw line; she took over 7 FTAs a game this year while averaging 21.5 ppg. The Lynx have multiple options to guard McCoughtry, and will likely start out with Seimone Augustus on her, creating a matchup of two of the great perimeter scorers in the history of women's basketball.</p>
<p>The series starts at 7:30 at Target Center.</p>
<p>Watch it. It's gonna be fun.</p>
<p>We'll post a game thread later in the day.</p>
https://www.canishoopus.com/2013/10/6/4808462/wnba-finals-minnesota-lynx-vs-atlanta-dreamEric in Madison